Setting Up EMBY App With Harmony Elite Remote

[dn_angel000 0]

Can anyone help me figure this out? I want to open the EMBY app installed on my TCL Roku TV as an activity when I turn it on and open the EMBY app seconds after the TV turns on so I wont have to!! lol

[Sammy 767]

You can put Emby in the first position in your Roku (or any position actually) then when setting up the activity add additional commands so the Elite Navigates to Emby then hits Select / OK.

[dn_angel000 0]

You can put Emby in the first position in your Roku (or any position actually) then when setting up the activity add additional commands so the Elite Navigates to Emby then hits Select / OK.

But how? In the commands list I have the default app listed but not EMBY!

[Luke 38528]

@@denz

@@Gilgamesh_48

 

Have you tried a harmony remote with Roku before?

[Sammy 767]

Elite start up commands

 

TV on

Roku on

Roku Home

Left, right, up, down as required to navigate to Emby

Select or OK.

 

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

[Gilgamesh_48 1039]

@@denz

@@Gilgamesh_48

 

Have you tried a harmony remote with Roku before?

Yes but my Harmony is one with a hub and if I wanted to start the Emby app when I start the Roku activity I would use a macro (Can be created in the Harmony app on the computer) and simply call the Emby app from there. When Harmony remotes are set up they read the Roku for the installed apps and offer a screen where the apps can be called with one button push. You can add button presses or app calls the the startup routine or the shutdown routine of any activity.

 

I do not know if any of that applies to the poster's Harmony but if there is a way to add commands to the activity's startup routine then it should be possible.

 

I just checked and the Harmony app does not offer access to the apps at startup if said app is one you install yourself. (That is one that is not offered during the initial setup). That is you can call Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and the like but you cannot call apps like Emby that you install after Rokus initial setup.

 

That means that you would need to be exactly sure what the current position of the Roku selection window is and where the Emby app is. Fortunately Roku mostly offers an easy way to do that. The following is what I would add to the app's startup but first I would place Emby at the first position in the Emby main screen so you will always know exactly where it is at startup.

1. Press Home

2. I second delay

3. Press home  -- The 2 home presses get you to the first position in the Roku's side menu (You might want to add a 3rd Home just to be sure.

4. 1 second delay

5. Right arrow -- to get to Emby in the first position.

6. 1 second delay

7. OK  -- This starts Emby

 

The delays are so the Roku does not miss any keypresses but they are probably not needed as, with my Harmony, the Roku is controlled via the network and almost never misses a keypress. Of course that is not true with all Harmony  remotes because some use IR.

 

That macro is added via the Harmony app - activities - The Roku activity - Customize this activity

 

I will help if anyone runs into snags but I can help very little if the Harmony does not setup like mine does and I understand that some of the less expensive Harmony remotes use a much less robust setup system.

[denz 450]

Don't have harmony remote so can't help.

[WilhelmStroker 96]

Yes but my Harmony is one with a hub and if I wanted to start the Emby app when I start the Roku activity I would use a macro (Can be created in the Harmony app on the computer) and simply call the Emby app from there. When Harmony remotes are set up they read the Roku for the installed apps and offer a screen where the apps can be called with one button push. You can add button presses or app calls the the startup routine or the shutdown routine of any activity.

 

I do not know if any of that applies to the poster's Harmony but if there is a way to add commands to the activity's startup routine then it should be possible.

 

I just checked and the Harmony app does not offer access to the apps at startup if said app is one you install yourself. (That is one that is not offered during the initial setup). That is you can call Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and the like but you cannot call apps like Emby that you install after Rokus initial setup.

 

That means that you would need to be exactly sure what the current position of the Roku selection window is and where the Emby app is. Fortunately Roku mostly offers an easy way to do that. The following is what I would add to the app's startup but first I would place Emby at the first position in the Emby main screen so you will always know exactly where it is at startup.

1. Press Home

2. I second delay

3. Press home -- The 2 home presses get you to the first position in the Roku's side menu (You might want to add a 3rd Home just to be sure.

4. 1 second delay

5. Right arrow -- to get to Emby in the first position.

6. 1 second delay

7. OK -- This starts Emby

 

The delays are so the Roku does not miss any keypresses but they are probably not needed as, with my Harmony, the Roku is controlled via the network and almost never misses a keypress. Of course that is not true with all Harmony remotes because some use IR.

 

That macro is added via the Harmony app - activities - The Roku activity - Customize this activity

 

I will help if anyone runs into snags but I can help very little if the Harmony does not setup like mine does and I understand that some of the less expensive Harmony remotes use a much less robust setup system.

I have a hub as well and on the android app I get the option to have a starting channel which can be set to any channel installed on the roku as per https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/harmony-experience-with-roku

[Sammy 767]

Yes but my Harmony is one with a hub and if I wanted to start the Emby app when I start the Roku activity I would use a macro (Can be created in the Harmony app on the computer) and simply call the Emby app from there. When Harmony remotes are set up they read the Roku for the installed apps and offer a screen where the apps can be called with one button push. You can add button presses or app calls the the startup routine or the shutdown routine of any activity.

 

I do not know if any of that applies to the poster's Harmony but if there is a way to add commands to the activity's startup routine then it should be possible.

 

I just checked and the Harmony app does not offer access to the apps at startup if said app is one you install yourself. (That is one that is not offered during the initial setup). That is you can call Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and the like but you cannot call apps like Emby that you install after Rokus initial setup.

 

That means that you would need to be exactly sure what the current position of the Roku selection window is and where the Emby app is. Fortunately Roku mostly offers an easy way to do that. The following is what I would add to the app's startup but first I would place Emby at the first position in the Emby main screen so you will always know exactly where it is at startup.

1. Press Home

2. I second delay

3. Press home  -- The 2 home presses get you to the first position in the Roku's side menu (You might want to add a 3rd Home just to be sure.

4. 1 second delay

5. Right arrow -- to get to Emby in the first position.

6. 1 second delay

7. OK  -- This starts Emby

 

The delays are so the Roku does not miss any keypresses but they are probably not needed as, with my Harmony, the Roku is controlled via the network and almost never misses a keypress. Of course that is not true with all Harmony  remotes because some use IR.

 

That macro is added via the Harmony app - activities - The Roku activity - Customize this activity

 

I will help if anyone runs into snags but I can help very little if the Harmony does not setup like mine does and I understand that some of the less expensive Harmony remotes use a much less robust setup system.

 

 

This is a more detailed explanation of what I was trying to say. You might be able to get by with shorter delays though. 

[Gilgamesh_48 1039]

This is a more detailed explanation of what I was trying to say. You might be able to get by with shorter delays though. 

The shortest delay available is one second.

[Sammy 767]

The shortest delay available is one second.

 

Yup.

 

I was most recently programming my Harmony 900 when I posted and it goes down to 100ms.

 

All this discussion got me programming new sequences in my Elite though and I found it with a minimum of 1 second which is quite a long time for some sequences.

 

Not only am I adding Emby but also, Netflix, PrimeVideo, Pandora, SiriusXM and TuneIn. TuneIn, for example, is in position 6, that's several seconds of pauses to get to it.

[Gilgamesh_48 1039]

I have a hub as well and on the android app I get the option to have a starting channel which can be set to any channel installed on the roku as per https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/harmony-experience-with-roku

That may be the difference I see. I use the Harmony app on my desktop computer not on an Android device. I may look at the Android app because I have noticed that several other apps, like Alexia, offer more options in the Android app.

[Sammy 767]

I'll add that I'm doing this on AndroidTV but the concept is exactly the same.

[Gilgamesh_48 1039]

Yup.

 

I was most recently programming my Harmony 900 when I posted and it goes down to 100ms.

 

All this discussion got me programming new sequences in my Elite though and I found it with a minimum of 1 second which is quite a long time for some sequences.

 

Not only am I adding Emby but also, Netflix, PrimeVideo, Pandora, SiriusXM and TuneIn. TuneIn, for example, is in position 6, that's several seconds of pauses to get to it.

I use Alexa routines to go directly to apps as Alexa controls the Harmony hub better that Harmony does itself.

 

I have my routines setup so that all I need to do is say things like "Alexa Nexflix on Roku" and the Roku activity is started and Netflix is started. It also works on other devices like: "Alexa Fox Sports on Shield" and my Shield activity is started and Fox Sports is activated.

 

Routines are the greatest boon to voice control that Amazon has ever introduced.

[Sammy 767]

I use Alexa routines to go directly to apps as Alexa controls the Harmony hub better that Harmony does itself.

 

I have my routines setup so that all I need to do is say things like "Alexa Nexflix on Roku" and the Roku activity is started and Netflix is started. It also works on other devices like: "Alexa Fox Sports on Shield" and my Shield activity is started and Fox Sports is activated.

 

Routines are the greatest boon to voice control that Amazon has ever introduced.

 

Can you share some of your Routines? This would move us into the 21st century give WAF points!

[Gilgamesh_48 1039]

Can you share some of your Routines? This would move us into the 21st century give WAF points!

I would be happy to. Many use Yonomi and/or IFTTT and that can get a little complex for some people. I wonder if this is done it might be better in a separate thread as it could bridge other apps and functionality well outside Emby. I even have routines that start and stop playing audio books on a computer using MediaMonkey. The Computer that runs MediaMonkey also runs on of my Emby servers. All I have to do is say "Alexa book" and my audio book system starts or stops playing.

 

I have many other routines that change my lights or start/stop fans. I am considering even adding the ability to control more of MediaMonkey other than just starting and stopping once I understand IFTTT better.

 

I am unsure if my obsession with Alexa is really healthy but it is what it is and I am kind of having fun with it.

 

BTW: I have several Echo devices scattered throughout my house so I am always withing talking distance of at least one.

 

Home automation is fun. But I do wonder, from time to time, if even a fun obsession is a good thing.